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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

OK...so I find it hard not to write something about the recent (turns out...non-eventful) prediction made by Harold Camping, 89 year old founder of Family Radio. I have to admit that until I saw a few, rather mocking, comments on Facebook about this man and his predictions, I really didn't know much about him. So being the student that I am I proceeded to do a little research.

Turns out his specific prediction was that the Day of Judgement was to begin on 6 p.m., Saturday, May 21st...beginning with a tremendous earthquake..as he states in his very own words,

"when we get to May 21 on the calendar in any city or country in the world, and the clock says about — this is based on other verses in the Bible — when the clock says about 6 p.m., there’s going to be this tremendous earthquake that’s going to make the last earthquake in Japan seem like nothing in comparison. And the whole world will be alerted that Judgment Day has begun. And then it will follow the sun around for 24 hours. As each area of the world gets to that point of 6 p.m. on May 21, then it will happen there, and until it happens, the rest of the world will be standing far off and witnessing the horrible thing that is happening."

Well that clears up everything...NOT! Is it just me, or did that statement make any sense at all?

In an interview conducted by New York Magazine, in reference to his most recent May 21st prediction, he is quoted as saying this:

“God has given sooo much information in the Bible about this, and so many proofs, and so many signs, that we know it is absolutely going to happen without any question at all. There’s nothing in the Bible that God has ever prophesied — there’s many things that he prophesied would happen and they always have happened — but there’s nothing in the Bible that holds a candle to the amount of information to this tremendous truth of the end of the world. I would be absolutely in rebellion against God if I thought anything other than it is absolutely going to happen without any question.”

This prediction from Camping, was not his first prediction of this event...nor his last. He had actually made a similar prediction in 1994, and now that this one didn't pan out he is now trying to say that...oops,my bad...It's actually October.

This man is not the first to make such predictions and sadly, not the last. What a sad commentary that many believed this man. Yes, even those who profess to be Christian, yet really don't even know the Word...they are so unfamiliar with the scriptures that they begin to question the validity of false prophets such as this man, even when he has a proven track record of being a failure as a prophet proclaiming the Word of the Lord! Shouldn't we search the scriptures everyday, as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11, to see if what is being proclaimed to us lines up with the Word of God?

First, Christ specifically admonished his disciples not to claim such knowledge. In Acts 1:7, Jesus said, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” In Matthew 24:36, Christ taught similarly: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
To state the case plainly, these two verses explicitly forbid Christians to claim the knowledge of such dates and times. Jesus clearly taught that the Father has not revealed such dates and timing, but has reserved that knowledge for himself. It is an act of incredible presumptuousness to claim that a human knows such a date, or has determined God’s timing by any means.Second, the Bible does not contain hidden codes that we are to find and decipher. The Bible has been given to us in order that we might know the truth, and the truth is clearly revealed in its pages. We are not to look for hidden patterns of words, numbers, dates, or anything else. The Bible’s message is plain and requires no mathematical computation for its understanding. The claim that one has found a hidden code or system in the Bible is an insult to the Bible as the Word of God.Third, Christians are indeed to be looking for Christ to return and seeking to be found faithful when Christ comes. We are not to draw a line in history and set a date, but we are to be about the Father’s business, sharing the Gospel and living faithful Christian lives. We are not to sit on rooftops like the Millerites, waiting for Christ’s return. We are to be busy doing what Christ has commanded us to do.
In Hebrews 9:28, we are taught that Christ will come a second time “to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” That is the faithful Christian response to the New Testament teachings about Christ’s coming. The church is not to be arrogantly setting dates, but instead to be eagerly waiting for him. Of that we can be truly certain.

Well said!! As we are looking forward to His return, and as we wait what is required of us?

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

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Wife. Mom. Gigi. Writer. Speaker. Women's Ministry Leader. Captivated by His grace. Calling women back to the heart of God.... mostly just a woman whose passion it is to have a heart captivated by the grace and love of her Lord and Savior, Jesus.

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